Kids’ Council Meeting Minutes November 20, 2014...

Kids’ Council Meeting Minutes – November 20, 2014

Kids’ Council Meeting Minutes

November 20, 2014 5:15 p.m. – 6:53 p.m.

344 Broadway, 2nd Floor Conference Room

Summary

Summary of Conversation Topics

Presentation of the work of the Cambridge Youth Council

Discussion of the Door-to-Door and Code for Boston projects and next steps

Presentation and Discussion of the Book Bike Program

Key Agreements

Agreement to support the Book Bike Program, Summer 2015

Next Steps

The group identified the following next steps (or commitments) during the meeting: What Who By When

Save the proposed meeting schedule for 2014-15 (3rd Thursday of the month unless otherwise noted):

▪ January 15, 2015

▪ March 19, 2015

▪ April 16, 2015

▪ May 21, 2015

▪ June 18, 2015

*Possible Retreat or CET Training (5:15 – 9:15 p.m.)

All KC members and affiliates

Solicit donations of new books from book stores for Book Bike Program

Matt Nelson


Kids’ Council Meeting Minutes

November 20, 2014

5:15 pm – 6:53 pm 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor Conference Room

Detailed Notes

Present: Griffin Andres, Naia Aubourg , Charlotte Avant, Jen Bailey, Sally Benbasset, Lace Campbell, Jessica Daniels, Nadia Davila, Susan Flannery, Mary Gashaw, Michelle Godfrey, Robert C. Haas, George Halfkenny, Jacob Kyrik, Lori Likis, John Lindamood, Alanna Mallon, Neal Michaels, Linda Mindaye, Matt Nelson, Michael O’Brien, Mike Payack, Liz Phipps-Soeiro, Jamarcus Purley, Ellen Semonoff, Sumbul Siddiqui , Nancy Tauber

Chair: Neal Michaels Executive Director: Nancy Tauber Content Manager: Mike Payack

Desired Outcomes:

Agreement to support the Book Bike Program, Summer 2015

Shared understanding of the work of the Cambridge Youth Council

Shared understanding of the Door-to-Door and Code for Boston projects and next steps

Socialize, Network and Eat:

5:15 pm – 5:29 pm

Call to Order:

5:29 pm – 5:32 pm Nancy Tauber announced that Neal Michaels will be chairing tonight’s meeting because Mayor

Maher is at the National League of Cities conference in Austin, Texas

Welcome & Introductions (Neal Michaels)

Agenda Overview o Neal announced a reordering of the agenda

The Book Bike presentation will take place before the Youth Council update

Adoption of Minutes (October 16th, 2014 meeting) Minutes adopted


Book Bike Presentations and Discussion:

5:32 pm – 6:18 pm

Review of 2014 Book Bike Program (Liz Phipps-Soeiro and Jen Baily) o The Book Bike was Liz Phipps-Soeiro’s idea and was brought to fruition by Jen Bailey and

the Agenda for Children o Liz started with the question: “Are kids able to access a variety of high quality books in

the summer?” o There are obstacles that keep children from accessing libraries

If children aren’t going to libraries, the books should go to where the children are: the playgrounds

o Mobile lending libraries have existed for many years Biblioburro, a travelling library based in Columbia that distributes books

from shelving systems attached to the backs of two donkeys And a local example, which no longer exists: the Cambridge Bookmobile

o But the Book Bike was to be a GIVING library (rather than LENDING library) o Needed to raise funds

Raised $2,000 in a successful kickstarter campaign o Bought bike with raised funds; Liz’s husband built shelving system, reminiscent of library

shelves Wanted the experience to mimic going to a library

o One goal was to get more children to attend DHSP’s Summer Food Program Co-promoted with Summer Food Summer Food Program numbers improved—at Greene-Rose Heritage Park, it

went from 300 meals served in the summer of 2013 to over 800 in the summer of 2014

2015 Book Bike Program Planning o North Cambridge was not served by the 2014 Book Bike Program o We are here asking you for a second bike to serve North Cambridge o Center for Families knows North Cambridge best

Book Bike would be left with Center for Families o In planning for next summer, we want to continue to focus on parks where the Summer

Food Program serves meals o We want it to be a special summer event (like ice cream trucks) rather than year-round

program o Next summer, the plan is to keep existing sites and add two sites in North Cambridge

Danehy Park and Russell Field (near Rindge Towers) o Always open to more collaborations (with Cambridge Police Dept. for example) o There has been a lot of talk about info hubs…maybe Book Bike could be a mobile info

hub We want to pilot the Book Bike as a mobile info hub, outfitted with a tablet that

could access the info hub website to help connect citizens to resources

Neal Michaels provided some context o Thanks to Liz, Alanna, and Jen—great concept o Work with Code for Boston underway to design a website/info hub


How to get info to people in ways other than internet that are both intelligible and accessible

Ideas: Phone number Physical locations Taking info mobile

Utilize this opportunity to spread info about resources in two ways

The Book Bike staffer’s personal knowledge

Info Hub/Website (via tablet on Book Bike) o Friends of the Kids’ Council

Neal was first ED of the Kids’ Council Established Friends of the Kids’ Council, a private non-profit that could engage

in fundraising activities, because many private funders were unlikely to fund a City program

Friends of the Kids’ Council has not raised funds since 1992 Still have some money in that bank account (about $3,000) Looking to dissolve the non-profit

But first need to find a use for the remaining funds Pay for a second Book Bike and tablets Jen presents the 2015 Book Bike Program budget (see

Attachment B)

Question & Answer o Charlotte Avant: Who built the bike?

Liz: The bike was purchased and my husband built the shelving system o Charlotte Avant: Should we let people know that they can donate books to the Book

Bike? Liz: The idea was originally to be run on donations. But a secondhand book

sends a message. Liz is also passionate that every child has equal access to quality literature. Important that these are new, exciting books

Jen: It is challenging to have some new and some used books o Sally Benbasset: Are there ways to get donations of books? Bookstores have

promotions where customers have the option of buying a book to donate Liz: I approached local bookstores and publishers, but without data it was a

hard sell for donations Jen: We do buy books at a library rate. Significant discount, still substantial

costs o Ellen Semonoff:

Acknowledge the phenomenal amount of work this took Budget is an entirely reasonable budget Kids’ Council is about collaboration of the various partners at the table and this

is a wonderful example of that collaboration Even before addition of Book Bike, Summer Food Program benefited greatly

from collaboration with the Department of Public Health Summer Food Program has become a wonderful collaborative vehicle

for a number of great things


o Nancy Tauber asked if anyone would like to volunteer to solicit donations from book stores

Matt Nelson volunteered

Neal Michaels suggested a vote be taken

Sally Benbasset made a motion that the Kids’ Council adopt a recommendation to support a second Book Bike and tablets using money from the Friends of the Kids’ Council and to ask for additional City funds to support operations of the second Book Bike

o Alanna Mallon seconded motion o Recommendation unanimously adopted

Youth Council Update:

6:18 pm – 6:28 pm

Review of Cambridge Youth Council’s current initiatives (Lace Campbell) o Nancy introduced Naia Aubourg (freshman at CRLS) and Jacob “Jack” Kyrik (sophomore

at CRLS), two new members of the Cambridge Youth Council

Naia and Jack reviewed current Cambridge Youth Council Initiatives o For the Past month, the Cambridge Youth Council has been working together to decide

on how we would help meet the needs of youth in Cambridge. We are excited to announce that we have created Y2Y or Youth to Youth, which is a program with two main elements that we will implement this year

The first element is our Y2Y mentoring program Our goal is to mentor about 20 students starting in January We will talk with deans, guidance councilors, and teachers to identify

students who may need or want mentoring We will also advertise these services in the high school and middle

schools Through an application process, interested students will be paired with

a mentor based on their areas of interest The mentors will be members of the CYC along with a few other leaders

at the high school. We are in the process of developing our training process now

Mentors and their mentees will meet twice a month. One of these monthly meetings will be a workshop,

including: Signing up for tests and classes

Life mapping and goals

Drugs and alcohol

Teacher students relationships

And resources and opportunities in Cambridge

The other monthly meeting will have the purpose of checking on goals, general support, and connecting the mentees to resources


The other part of our program is a series of gatherings, three open discussions regarding race, and two community-bonding events

Race and Media: A group discussion between youth after being presented images of race in the media in order to raise awareness about how media impacts our feelings about race

Race and Education: World café-style table discussions about the achievement gap, self-segregation, and diverse classrooms in order to hear from youth about what actions could take place to address these issues

Youth and Police: A discussion between youth, hopefully followed by discussion with members of the police department to raise awareness about youth connection or disconnection to the police, hopefully breaking down some barriers

Basketball game between City officials and youth in order to break down barriers and have fun

International dinner at the high school: Connect families and raise cultural awareness

o We are very excited about our program and welcome any feedback, ideas, thoughts, or questions

o We hope we can call upon the members of the Kids Council as we start to implement these new programs

Question & Answer o Ellen Semonoff: How would mentor relationship work?

Jack: We are not planning on mentoring direct-peers Naia: We want the mentors to be older than the mentees Griffin Andres: 11th and 12th graders will be mentoring 9th and 10th graders; 10th

(and potentially 9th) graders will be mentoring 8th graders o Charlotte Avant: Have you thought about a mentorship club?

Jack: Part of the idea of this project is that we want to reach out to students who wouldn’t join a club on their own

Code For Boston Project Update:

6:28 pm – 6:43 pm

Status update on the Code For Boston project (Nancy Tauber) o Thanks to everyone who helped spread word on survey

CET CLC Library CPSD DHSP Facebook Page

o Based on the results from the 1,273 surveys, work with Code For Boston volunteers to: 1. Build a mobile-responsive website (multilingual preferable*)

Responsive website means it’s accessible from phone, tablet, and computer

Native app not necessary at first, maybe wrap website later


Information for services should include: Contact Info Cost Deadlines Operating Hours Registration Requirements Summary of Service Web Link

2. Include a phone system with voice-assist or live-assist for calls (multilingual

preferable*) *Languages prioritized based on language feedback from the survey and census data

3. Market the website and phone system through flyers/newsletters, email, phone, text, social media

Survey-takers top two favorite ways to receive info were websites and flyers

4. Include a system for rating services

5. Need a full-time position to maintain system and work as community touch point

o Next steps:

Continue to get feedback from various stakeholders (Agenda for Children Symposium, Cambridge Youth Council, Early Childhood Task Force)

Nancy and Lace held workshop at Symposium to get feedback Nancy and Lace will do the same thing with Cambridge Youth

Council this Saturday

Working with Code for Boston on a prototype, with the goal of presenting a tested prototype at the March 19th meeting

o Neal: It’s one thing to have a website, but we need to think about other opportunities to share info

Book Bike Hotline Not just a website

We need to be thoughtful about how info from website gets to people…in some cases that needs to be through a personal relationship

Nancy Tauber: Two years ago, Kids’ Council recommended City-wide curriculum for people doing outreach and engagement

o 7 modules, 28-hour training Kids’ Council recommended that City support Community Outreach Training

Program pilot


The pilot is happening this year, every Friday for 7 weeks, 9 am-1pm (28 hours total)

o Nancy announced that, at the January Kids’ Council meeting, Community Engagement Team will share their strategic plan and Community Outreach Training Program

o Nancy introduced George Halfkenny, a participant in the Community Outreach Training Program

George described the training program Very worthwhile experience Since it’s a pilot, participants are also providing feedback on program Very diverse group of people

Cambridge Connects (Door-to-Door) Update:

6:43 pm – 6:46 pm

Status update on Door-to-Door (Matt Nelson) o Developed Door-to-Door survey tool

Agenda for Children literacy workers, Cambridge Housing, and Public Health Department all helped tailor and edit survey

It still is an evolving tool o We have decided to pilot the project during the scheduled spring Door-to-Door

campaign in May 2015 The NTW/WE Door-to-Door expansion is scheduled for the week of May 4, 2015

o The timing lines up well with the release of the prototype for the website/info hub that the Kids Council is having developed

o Check in on almost all of the service providers and nonprofits in Area IV o Exciting that everyone we have talked to has expressed an interest in wanting to help

with this project o Goal is to keep momentum going throughout the winter months by attending and/or

co-hosting indoor meetings/meet-ups/meals At these events we will continue to test out and perfect the survey (and start to

gather data), as well as build on the collaborations that have continued to strengthen among the Area IV community

o Advertised Book Bike and Summer Food at Greene-Rose Park at last Door-to-Door at Newtowne Court and Washington Elms

Public Comment and Announcements:

6:46 pm – 6:50 pm

o Ellen announced that Agenda for Children Out of School Time Initiative held a Symposium

This week was 2nd annual Symposium A week of workshops delivered by staff of City’s Out of School

Time programs


Our programs are much more collaborative now than 10 years ago Our program staff are the experts leading seminars

Family Engagement seminars Cultural Awareness seminars

Kids’ Council has been a supporter of Agenda for Children for many years and you would have been proud of our presenters

Evaluation and Next Steps: 6:50 pm – 6:53 pm

Pluses Deltas

* Neal is a great chair * Impressive presentations (both Book Bike and Cambridge Youth Council) *Hearing about George’s experiences participating in the CET training *Hearing about good stuff at Kids’ Council is wonderful when there is so much terrible stuff happening in the world *Happy that Cambridge Youth Council is open to tackling issues of race *Good to get feedback on our work here

Nancy announced that the next Kids’ Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 15th, 2015 (5:15 pm -7:15 pm) at 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor conference room.

Adjourn: 6:53 pm


Attachment A: Book Bike Power Point Presentation


Attachment B:

Kids’ Council Meeting Minutes November 20, 2014...

Documents

Transcript of Kids’ Council Meeting Minutes November 20, 2014...